A big idea built of a lot of little pieces
Featured at left, "I Bought all of These" by Kate Bingaman-Burt.
Manshroom by Amy Ross.
Link: 20x200
Viteo and Danny Venlet are surely amongst those leading the revolution of outdoor furniture design. And they have once again taken the Parisian furniture show 'Maison et Objet' by storm. This time they came up with an outdoor waterbed called Lylo. As always the Austrian brand has developed it in all weather materials of the highest quality.
Link: Viteo
Title says it all. If you have the chops and time to post nothing but specialness (is that even a word?), then drop a line and let's see what you got!
Interested parties can send their replies to adriean@shawbiz.ca
designBOT.landliving.com
A quick trip into the archives
Concord "Plug Table"A table that features two circular sockets in the center that can accept any number of modular plug-in pieces including electrical outlets, light fixtures, and various containers.
Retro Bullet PlanterFaithful reproductions of the original bullet planters from the 50's. Available in 9 colors.
LIKEaBIKEIf I had kids and they didn't yet know how to pedal a bike, they'd totally have LIKEaBIKES. Except I'd put a motor in it and aim them at a big jump. Oh, and beware of knock-offs!
Borris BallyWe've always had a fascination with the bold graphics and colors of road signs, but not so much in the frat house aesthetic kind of way... though we have to admit there is something intriguing about the idea of bringing signs into the home. Now we've found a way to satisfy that desire: road signs re-purposed as functional objects!
Archive: September 2004
Related: Flashback August 2004
The West Coast Independent Design Show - March 14 - March 16, 2008
It's like every time I turn around, it's CA Boom time again! OK, so it isn't time yet, but it will be here before I diggity dag darn know it... and this year we're planning ahead.
Well, I told you before, but I'll tell you again: CA Boom V will be March 14 through 16, 2008, once again at the fabulous Barker Hangar in sunny Santa Monica, California. And I hear that the show will continue to expand the offerings as attendance has grown significantly over the past two years... we have a winner here, folks.
By the way for you designers and hawkers of design schtuff, CA Boom V still has room for exhibitors, but space is filling up fast so get your applications in pronto. And for you architects with projects in the west LA area, CA Boom is on the hunt for tour locations... be seen.
Link: CA Boom
Viteo's new Teppan Yaki module is a further extension of its modular outdoor kitchen range.
It is probably the only outdoor cooking set-up on the market that offers a healthy /light option for the summer BBQ preparation of fish, meat or vegetables. Fusion cuisine lovers will love it!
Link: www.Viteo.com
Spanish designer and 3D artist Cristóbal Vila. Link: Etérea Studios - Fallingwater Via: Desing*Sponge's dad
An Tur Solais - The Spire of Dublin
A day on which one can't help but think of monuments and symbols seems like an appropriate time to take a look at a successful modern monument... at least Witold Rybczynski thought so, and it got me to thinking about it as well.
The Spire of Dublin, also known as An Tur Solais (the Monument of Light) and The Spike... it also has some unsavory nicknames in the Dubliner tradition: The Stiletto in the Ghetto, The Nail in the Pale, The Binge Syringe, and (perhaps my favorite) The Erection in the Intersection.
The monument was conceived in the early 1990's to provide a replacement for Nelson's Pillar which was blown up by former IRA members in 1966. An architectural competition was held with the intention of building the monument in time for the millennium. Alas construction was delayed by a pair of lawsuits filed by failed competitors - one designed a resurrection of Nelsons Pillar but topped by a bronze sun, the other a column topped by a revolving restaurant...
Of course monuments are contentious by their very nature - e.g. Ground Zero, Alex Eiffel, World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., etc. And the sore losers of the competition weren't the only detractors of the winning entry - public opinion and politicians decried the monument citing its inappropriateness to the context, the exorbitant cost and everything in between. Not to mention the planning process and environmental regulations (EIS). It is a wonder it was ever built at all... and so it is perhaps a fitting symbol of the new Ireland where such things are possible. And yet that uncovers an ironic twist: this monument of the new Ireland, built to replace a symbol of British imperialism, was an entry by a British architect, Ian Ritchie.
Link: The Spire of Dublin
Slideshow: Slate - The Spire of Dublin
Designer: Ian Ritchie Architects
Related: Seeing Éire [I] - Ailtireacht na Baile Átha Cliath (L+L)
Designing human experiences
Being in the "experience design" world professionally myself these days, I was very interested to check out the work of Tel-Aviv, Israel based designers Roy Roth Yaal Tevet. They say:
We explore all design disciplines, creating exciting, multi-sensual experiences for the public domain, telling a new story each and every time. We are always looking for new boundaries to cross.Their work covers a broad range of disciplines for a broad range of clients, including exhibitions, public spaces, cafés, bars, restaurants, clubs and products.
What I appreciate about their work is that they are able to skillfully navigate multiple disciplines and genres, creating environments which work emotionally as well as intellectually. And that really is the key to the idiosyncratic world of experience design. You must be adept at designing from a variety of perspectives, not just from your own aesthetic.
Link: Roth \ Tevet
Homeland, Sigur Rós
Link: Heima - trailer 1
Link: Heima - trailer 2
Link: Sigur Rós
Director: Dean Deblois
Increasing the volume of architectural discourse... now blogging!
It's back! We just got word from Loud Paper editor Mimi Zeiger saying that after a lengthy hiatus, Loud Paper is back... as a blog! Mimi says:
In this new incarnation loud paper is part per-zine, travelogue, marketing machine, and wunderkammer, but it will also remain true to the original mission to provide a forum for multiple voices.Maybe you didn't know about Loud Paper before... or perhaps you even forgot... in either case bad! Very bad you! Well, Loud Paper was (and is) an independent architecture zine "dedicated to increasing the volume of architectural discourse." It was started in 1997 when Mimi Zeiger was a graduate student at SCI-Arc... back when a couple of us from the L+L crew were in the house too.
We're glad to see Loud Paper back and online. And Mimi says to get ready for a new call for submissions later this fall. We'll keep y'all informed.
Link: loud paper
Link: loud paper archives
Modern craftsman lighting
FaulknerWorks is the brainchild of Truckee, California architect Greg Faulkner in partnership with Leo Burke, and Brian Hijos - a team which combines the skills of an architect, theatrical lighting designer, artistic metal fabricator, and electrical contractor. I dig their products which are basically extracted from the custom fixtures and hardware that Greg Faulkner has designed for his commissions over the years.
I almost worked for Faulkner Architects many years back when I lived at Tahoe... I was all fired up to work there until they told me what my salary would be... ahem. Anyway, what I like about Faulkner's work is the balance and contrast of the modern and the rustic. There is a hand-made feeling (obviously owing much to the American Arts and Crafts movement) yet with an aesthetic informed by modern and industrial design and materials. I would love to see an even more modern evolution of this design thread.
Link: FaulknerWorks
Designer: Greg Faulkner - Faulkner Architects
Art inspired by landscape architecture and design | 10/06/07
Cultivated is an exhibition to held in conjunction with the annual ASLA conference, October 6th 2007, in San Francisco. Cultivated's opening debut will be a night of art and inspiration hosted at Mars Bar, a local art bar in the burgeoning Soma district.
In concept, Cultivated seeks to provide a place where visiting and local artists, designers and landscape architects can gather to celebrate interpretations of Landscape Architecture that reflect the impacts that natural and built environments have on our lives.Various forms of appreciation and expression of landscape will be represented... and there is still time to participate. The submission deadline is September 14, 2007.
Link: Cultivated
Should this be considered an IKEA hack?
Do your friends think they've stepped into an IKEA showroom whenever they enter your home? If so, here's a great way to distinguish your stock IKEA wares from the masses. Bemz.com offers a wide variety of slipcovers that fit a good selection of IKEA's sofas and armchairs. Prices hover around $140 or so and some fabrics are available in 100% cotton while others are a linen/cotton blend. The Stromstad sofa (above) is shown in Harmony-Chestnut Brown.
Via: LA TimesLink: Bemz.com
Has Illy found a way to pull the perfect shot?
So it turns out the tried and true process of packing your grounds into your espresso machine's portafilter isn't all that great after all. The folks at Illy contend that water doesn't percolate evenly through the grounds. This leaves you with a shot that isn't as rich as it could be.
To deal with this, they've come up with a small pod packed with grounds that first fills with water, saturating the grounds. As the pressure builds, a valve releases, aeration occurs, and you've now got a rich shot with lots of crema. Mmmm, crema.
Illy will be producing their pod-compatible machines first for their commercial customers. In spring 2008 we will see a modified Francis!Francis! version specifically for the consumer market.
Link: Wall Street JournalLink: Illy
Via: Huffington Post
Canada's Alternative
So like most designers I have my usual monthly design reads such as Azure, Canadian Interiors, Metropolis and yes even Dwell from time to time. All fine reads that normally come from magical places such as Toronto, New York or some other town big enough to have mutliple NFL teams. So as a Western boy from Alberta, I have to admit being red faced at JUST being introduced to a design mag originating from a town only a short drive down the highway.
elemente Magazine is a Calgary based publication that provides Canadians with a Western perspective on design, architecture and lifestyle. From tales of sharing cocktails with Will Alsop (personal fave) to profiling up and coming designers, it really is a great fix for design junkies.
Influenced by some of the world's most renowned architecture and design-driven publications, Elemente provides a unique regional platform that focuses on current architectural highlights, key players, products, designs and emerging trends. Singular in personality and voice, Elemente's mandate is to deliver contextually relevant content exclusive to the region that is functional and purposeful, entertaining yet challenging, enlightening and informative, humourous yet inspirational.Full cover shot of the September issue after the jump....
Link: elemente
For the lollygagger in you.
Thanks to a comment from Matt in our post below, we were clued-in to Loll Design, the firm behind the Room & Board Adirondack chairs. Turns out they've got quite an assortment of products, from chairs and stools to benches and tables, all made from 100% post-consumer high-density polyethylene. They also work close with designers and architects, collaborating on numerous projects, including The Octagon in NYC (above right) and designing benches for the St. Louis County Courthouse.
Link: Loll Designs [Thanks, Matt!]